Lawyers demand freedom for Öcalan
NEWS CENTER (DİHA) - Lawyers protested the isolation of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan with the motto of “No to İmralı isolation, freedom for Öcalan.”
Lawyers protested the isolation of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Leader Abdullah Öcalan in İstanbul, Diyarbakır, Van, Ankara, Batman and Mardin with the motto of “No to İmralı isolation, freedom for Öcalan.”
İSTANBUL
Members of the Association of Libertarian Lawyers (ÖHD) protested the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan in front of the courthouse in Çağlayan, and representatives from Modern Lawyers Association, Modern Lawyers Group, Libertarian Democrat Lawyers, and Human Rights Association, Turkey Peace Council as well as HDP (Peoples' Democratic Party) parliamentarians Beyza Üstün and Filiz Kerestecioğlu joined the protest. ÖHD Co-President Ömer Güneş spoke during the protest and said that the government should stop its preparation for war and end the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan in order to continue the solution process. ÖHD member Newroz Uysal described the state’s rejection of lawyers’ applications to meet with their client Abdullah Öcalan as unethical and arbitrary, and called upon lawyers to take action against this unlawful isolation. HDP parliamentarian Beyza Üstün criticized the AKP attempts to restart the war and called upon the government to end the isolation of Öcalan.
DİYARBAKIR
HDP Adana Parliamentarian Meral Danış joined the lawyers from Mesopotamia Lawyers Association (MHD) who gathered in front of Diyarbakır Courthouse. Lawyer Resul Timur criticized the heavy isolation of Öcalan in İmralı Island for the past 16 years, and said that the current isolation of Öcalan disregards the freedom demands and will of the people. Timur emphasized the importance of Öcalan’s role in the democratization of Turkey and said that Öcalan’s health, security and freedom could only be maintained by his departure from İmralı prison. Timur stated that the arbitrary policies of isolation resemble the policies of Guantanamo prison, and called upon lawyers to take action against this unlawful practice.
MARDİN
Lawyers from Mesopotamia Lawyers Association (MHD) gathered in front of Mardin Courthouse and protested the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan. MHD branch co-president Zuhat Bilen stated that Öcalan’s health, security and freedom should be ensured for the solution of the Kurdish issue and the democratization of Turkey.
BATMAN
Lawyers from Mesopotamia Lawyers Association (MHD) gathered in front of Batman Courthouse and made a press statement here. HDP Batman parliamentarian Ayşe Acar Başaran and DBP-HDP administrators joined the protest and MHD branch co-president Emine Temel stated that the current policies were isolating Öcalan from social life completely.
VAN
Lawyers from Mesopotamia Lawyers Association (MHD) gathered in front of Van Courthouse and protested the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan as well as the AKP policies that hinder the solution process. HDP Van parliamentarians Selami Özyaşar, Tuba Hezer and Remzi Özgökçe, and administrators from HDP and İHD joined the protesters who were surrounded by police barricades.
ANKARA
Lawyers from ÖHD gathered in front of Ankara courthouse in order to draw attention to the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan. TUHAD-FED, IHD, and HDP representatives joined the protest and IHD president Öztürk Türkdoğan demanded an immediate end to the isolation of Öcalan.
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